Defending champion Norrie out of Rio Open, Argentinians Báez and Navone to play final
RIO DE JANEIRO — Defending champion Cameron Norrie has been bundled out of the Rio Open with a shock straight sets defeat to qualifier Mariano Navone on Saturday.
The 22-year-old Argentine beat the second-seeded British player 6-4, 6-2 to advance to his first tour-level final where he will play compatriot Sebastián Báez.
Norrie didn't offer much resistance to the 113th-ranked Navone despite having become the favorite to win the clay-court tournament again after Carlos Alcaraz, Stan Wawrinka and Nicolás Jarry were all earlier beaten or retired injured.
In the earlier semifinal, fifth-seeded Báez topped his Argentine compatriot Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-0 to advance to his fifth and biggest tour-level final.
“Argentina has many players and many very good players,” the 30th-ranked Báez said. “We are using this (tournament) to climb up, we are young. I like to play in Rio, come to Brazil. When I don't play against a Brazilian I feel like a local.”
More tennis
![](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AOWQ2ZGVlMDMtNzcwNi00%3AYzAwODA2MzQtN2FjMC00%2Fu-s-open-tennis.jpeg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
![](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AYzQ4ZjVhN2MtMDMzZi00%3ANDY2ZWNlMWMtNDAzMy00%2Fu-s-open-tennis.jpeg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
![](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AZWYyNmRhNGItNWFlNi00%3ANGRiMGFlNDktMTMxNy00%2Fu-s-open-tennis.jpeg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
![](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3ANmIwZWM2MzktYmNlZi00%3ANTU5NzliZjEtNzNmYS00%2Fspopen240908.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)